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MMA: Kyoji Horiguchi Retains Gold in RIZIN DECADE Firefight

Horiguchi cements his place as one of the best flyweights in MMA.

Mathew Riddle

RIZIN FF

Kyoji Horiguchi remains the best flyweight talent outside of the UFC.

Horiguchi defended his title against dangerous up-and-comer Nkazimulo Zulu in the co-main event of RIZIN DECADE on December 31. The fight was largely even on the feet, with the fighters trading knockdowns, Zulu having the bigger moments.

However, Horiguchi's veteran mettle shone through with his smothering ground control and brutal ground & pound. This was especially the case in the third round when Horiguchi pinned Zulu in a modified crucifix and rained down blows to put a stamp on the fight.

At 34 years old, Kyoji Horiguchi maintains a 21-2 record across RIZIN and the UFC. With former RIZIN champion Kai Asakura transitioning to the UFC, a future showdown between Horiguchi and current UFC flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja is possible.

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Mathew Riddle
MATHEW RIDDLE

Mathew is a UK-based combat sports journalist, graphic designer, and SEO expert with over five years of experience in digital marketing and a dedicated four-year track record in MMA journalism. He joined MMAKO in 2023. Mathew's insights have been featured on The Fight Fanatic, Heavy on UFC, Fansided, and Sportskeeda. Reach him at mr@thefightfanatic.com.

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